How Agile is Your Software Development?

The time has come, we’re in a new era of application development. Applications are needed in greater amounts and frequency. If you’re facing the same need, you’re most likely aware of the terms, DevOps and Agile development. You may even be implementing these methodologies within your IT team. But do you know how agile your software development really is?

There is some confusion and criticism over the terms used to describe the same process: developing and delivering apps faster. Critics say Agile isn’t applicable in all situations nor for every business. Another setback is solely focusing on Agile and neglecting traditional development practices. This often leads to the problem of shadow IT. Experimenting with these processes to know what works in your organization will provide the light among the dark matter surrounding the subject.

A group of developers called the Agile Alliance, developed the Agile Manifesto to clearly define the methodology. The Agile Manifesto includes four values and 12 principles that businesses need to apply in their digital transformation. How well do you align your software development efforts with the following aspects of Agile?

4 Values of Agile

Individuals and interactions over processes and tools

Working software over comprehensive documentation

Customer collaboration over contract negotiation

Responding to change over following a plan

12 Principles of Agile Software

The priority is satisfying customers through early and continuous delivery of valuable software

Welcoming change requirements, even late in a project. Harnessing change for a competitive advantage

Delivering working software frequently, from within weeks to months (shorter timescale the better)

Business people and developers must work together daily throughout the project

Building projects around motivated individuals. Providing motivated individuals with the environment and support they need and trusting them to get the job done

The best form of communication within a development team is face-to-face conversation

Effective software is the primary measure of progress

Creating processes that promote sustainable development

Continuous attention to technical excellent and good design enhances agility

Maximizing simplicity in processes to get more done

Recognizing that the best work emerges from self-organized teams

Having the team reflect at regular intervals on how to become more effective, then tuning and adjusting behavior accordingly

Agile is the process of creating software incrementally. This methodology focuses on collaboration, iteration and rapid delivery. You may be thinking you’re optimizing your application pipeline but there are some pitfalls you may be unknowingly falling into. Read on to find out what your may be needing in your Agile strategy.

The goal of Agile is to establish a software development process that focuses on effectiveness. Solutions should meet consumers’ needs as closely as possible and truly solve a problem. This is achieved through testing and iteration with the consumer. The principles of Agile are intended to set a work environment that is focused on the user, align business and IT, and react according to changes in user and market demands.

Are you looking to optimize your Agile development?

A no-code platform enables your organization to build the apps you need easily, quickly and effectively. You can focus on the solution rather than the process of developing. Unlike traditional software development requiring coding, a no-code platform enables a new class of developers to build the software in multiple versions through sprints. Traditional developers who program apps would take the needs of the users initially and then build the entire software without having the user test it in stages. The completed project is only released at the end of the project cycle, so it would take more time and effort to make changes.

Building with a no-code platform, like Betty Blocks, not only enables you to build an application easily, it also allows you to experiment with your digital transformation strategy in the most efficient way. Rather than spending time on coding and getting lost in translation of your ideas to IT, everyone involved in the project can be a part of the process from idea to delivery, and that is what you need to be agile.

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